Device for hairing violin-bows.



110- 828,883. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

F. A. HART. DEVICE FOR HAIRING VIOLIN BOWS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEFrcE.

FRED-A. HART. 0E NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0.

WILLIAM E. HART, or NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY DEVIOE FOR HA'IRING VIOLIN-BOWS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21-, 1906;

.T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FEE A. HART, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Devices for Hairing Violin-Bows, of which the following is a specification.

The hairing and rehairing of bows by which stringed instruments of the violin class areplayed is an operation requiring much skill and delicacy of manipulation if good results. are obtained. It is necessary that the hairs ofthe bow should be of uniform length betweenthe supports, should be laid parallel to each other, so that the bowing-surface is smooth, and should all be subject to a uniform tension. The object of my invention isto produce a device by means of which all of these results in the hairing and rehairing of bows for, violins and like instruments may be the more easily and perfectly accomplished.

As is well known, the hairs of a bow are secured at one end in that part of the bow known as the tip and at the other end in the frog, the latter being adjustable in order that the tension upon the hairs may be adjusted. The tip and the frog are therefore the supportsor holders for the hairs that constitute the bowing-surface.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated two forms of my inventionone intended for use when the hairs are first secured in the tip of the bow and the other for use when the hairs are first secured in the frog. The two forms of the device differ in details, but are similar in principle.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a .device embodying my invention arranged for the hairing of a violin-bow where the operation is commenced by securing the hairs the tip. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 .of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of a form of the device adapted for use when the hairs are first secured inthe frog. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

I have represented in the drawings a violin-bow of ordinary construction consisting of a stick A, the tip B, and the frog 0. The.

frog is adjustable by means of the screw D in 'dicated in the drawings.

the usual manner. The ends of the hairs, which are designated by the letter E, are secured, respectively, in the tip and frog, being inserted in recesses formed therein, where they are held by wedges in the usual manner.

I will first describe the formof my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 andwill at the same time set forth the process of hair ing a bow by the means there shown.

2 designates the base-piece or main frame of the device. It consists of a strip ofmaterial, preferably wood, of approximately the length of the bow and supports at, or near. one end the bracket or standard-piece 3, whichis preferably secured fast to the base when the device is in use. Near the other end of the base-piece is secured an adjustable holder 5 for one of the supports for the set of hairs, in

this instance for the tip of the bow. To the holder 5 is secured a yoke or loop 6, that surrounds the base-piece 2, and in this yoke is mounted a set-screw 7.

In the upper surface of the base-piece 2 near that end carrying the riser or bracket3 is formed a groove 4., that constitutes a seat for the bow-stick A. In the upper portionof the bracket or riser 3 is formed a transverse recess 9, in which is seated a removable clamp. This clamp consists by preference of a lower member 10, that rests in the recess 9,

an upper member 11, that overlies the member 10, and clamping-screws 12 for holding. together in clamping relation the members 10 and 11. To'increase the efiiciency of the clamp, the operating-faces may be facedwith leather or cloth, as indicated at 13. The rear end of the bracket or riser 3is tapering, as indicated at 14, and is arrangedto overhang the frog of the bow when the latter isin place in the device being described andasin- I prefer that the overhangin projecting, and tapering portion 14 of t e riser 3 should beshOd 0r covered with metal, as indicated at 1 5, and that in the edge or end of the metal piece l5there should be formed a notch 16.

The manner of using the device thusfardescribed may now be stated. The first step in the operation is to secure theends of the hairs in the usual way in the tip B of; the bow, after which the bow is put intothe device, the stick resting in the groove 4 and the tip in the holder 5, where it is heldby the pin 17. The screw 7 is loosened, so as to leave the holder 5 perfectly free to be adjusted longitudinally of the base or support 2. The bow-stick is then adjusted until the line that constitutes the rear edge of the mortise or recess in the frog into which the ends of the hairs are to be inserted is directly below the notch 16 at the end of the overhanging portion of the riser or bracket 3. When this ad justment has been ei'lected, the holder 5 is secured in place by means of the set-screw 7. The hairs being held in the tip of the bow are now combed in the usual way and brought between the pins 18, that project upward from the riser 3 just in front of the recess 9, the pins being situated a distance apart equal to the desired width of the bowing-surface to be formed by the hairs and serving to assist the operator in arranging and laying the hairs in place. While this combing operation is taking place the clamp is separated, the member 10 resting in the recess 9 and the member 11 being removed entirely. After the combing operation has been completed and the hairs caused to lie parallel with each other the removable member of the clamp is replaced and. the two parts secured together, thereby binding the hairs in position. The hairs should then be recombed from the clamp to their free ends and carefully laid over the tip of the plate 15 and in the notch 16, where they are turned down. They are here held in place by means of a slide 19, preferably of metal. This slide has a bent end 20, that is adapted to enter the notch 16 and confines the ends of the hairs therein, and has also a bent or upturned inner end 21, with which engages a holding-wedge 22. The latter bears against stationary pins or abutments 23, rising from the standard or bracket 3. The hair is now in the position that it should. occupy when in the bowthat is to say, it is premanently secured at one end in the tip of the bow and at the other end is temporarily secured at the notch 16, which is situated. at exactly the distance from the tip holder that the recess or mortise in the frog is from the tip. The free ends 01' the hairs are now tied as close to the end 20 of the holdingslide as is possible, and after this the hairs are cut oil about one-quarter of an inch below the placewhere they are tied. The ends of the hairs are then singed by a flame or hot iron, and sealing-wax, shellac, or other sub stance is applied in the usual manner for uniting the hairs and forming a secure knot 24 at the frog end. of the hairs, a similar knot having first been formed at the other end thereof. By covering the end of the riser or standard 3 with metal and making the slide or clamp 19 of the same material there is no danger of injuring the device if a flame be employed for singeing the ends of the hairs. The hairs may now be allowed to dry While held in the device, after which the wedge 22 and the slide 19 are removed, releasing the now united ends of the hairs. The clamp members 10 11 remain upon the hairs, holding them in position until the knot 24; is placed in the recess in the frog and secured therein in the usual way, after which the clamp members may be removed. The bow is then removed from the holder by separating the riser or standard 3 from the base.

The principal difference between that form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and the one already described resides in the adjustable holder for that member of the bow in which the hairs are first secured. In Figs. 1 and 2 it consists of a part 5 for supporting and holding the tip, while in Figs. 4 and 5 it consists of a part 5 for supporting and holding the frog, which is removed from the bowstick and mounted upon the support 5. In this form of my invention the bow-stick is not held in the device during the hairing operation. The first thing to be accomplished is to secure the adjustment oi" the holder 5 in order that the point at which the knot to be formed'at the free ends ol the hairs shall be properly determined. To secure this, 1 pro ceed as follows: The point or tip of the bow is placed alongside the end of the device carrying the riser or standard 3 with that edge of the mortise in the tip that is nearest to the end thereof parallel with the edge of the notch 16, Formed in the end of the overhang ing portion 14 of the riser or standard. The slide 5 is then adjusted until the mortise 25 therein for the nut f, carried by the frog, corresponds in position transversely with the mortise in the frog end of the bow-stick. This adjustment having been accomplished, the supporting-slide is secured in place by the set-screw 7, and the frog, in which the hairs have already been secured in the usual way, is placed upon the slide and held thereon by its adjusting-screw D. The method otprocedure is now the same as that followed in using the other form of the invention, which has already been described, the only dill'erence being that after the hairs have been combed, arranged, and the knot formed at the free ends thereof the latter is secured in the tip of the bow instead of in the frog. After this has been done the frog is removed from the holder 5 and attached to the bow stick.

By means of a device embodying my invention one is enabled to easily and accurately determine the exact point for forming the knot in the free ends of the hairs Whether the hairing of the bow be begun at the tip or at the frog. Further, the use of the clamp 10 11 insures that after the hairs have been once arranged in proper relation to each other they are thus maintained while the free ends of the hairs are being inserted in the holder in the bow and also the use of the slide that confines the free ends of the hairs prevents any disarrangement of the latter during the formation of the knot.

By turning the free ends of the hairs over the tapering end of the metal-shod standard the hairs adjacent to the knot 24 are bent or kinked, so as to make it much easier to insert the knot into the recess in the holder of the bow than were the hairs to be straight immediately adjacent to the knot. It will be understood that the hairs are wet when treated according to the process herein described and if left to dry in the device are set with the bend or kink described.

What I claim is 1. A-device for hairing bows for stringed instruments, comprising a holder for that bow member in which the hairs are first secured, means for holding the hairs in parallel-arranged relations to each other after they have been combed and with their ends eX- tending beyond the said holder for the hairs and while the knot at the free ends of the hairs is being formed, substantially as set forth.

2.'A device for hairing bows for-violins and like instruments, comprising a holder for the bow member in which the hairs are first secured, means for securing the hairs in parallel-arranged relations to each other after they have been combed while the knot at the free ends is being formed, and means for adjusting one of the said parts (holder for the bow member and means for securing the hairs) toward or from the other, substantially as set forth.

3. A device for hairing bows forviolins and like instruments, comprising an adjustable holder for that member of the bow in which the hairs are first secured, and means for securing the hairs in place and in parallelarranged relations to each other after they have been combed and while the knot at the free ends of the hairs is being formed, substantially as set forth.

4. A device for hairing bows for violins and like instruments, comprising a holder for the bow member in which the ends of the hairs are first secured, a clamp for securing the hairs in parallel relations to each other after they have been arranged, and means for holding the ends of the hairs beyond the clamp while they are being united to form a knot, substantially as set forth.

5. In a device for hairing violin-bows and free ends of the hairs'over the end of the said standard and holding them while the ends are being united to forma knot, substantially as set forth.

6. In a device for hairing bows for violins and like instruments, the combination of the base-piece, a holder for the bow member in which the hairs are secured carried by the base-piece near one end, a standard carried near the other end of the base-piece and provided with a recess 9 and a tapering end, a separable clamp mounted in the said recess and arranged to hold the hairs in place after they have been arranged, and means for securing the ends of the hairs to the tapering end of the standard, substantially as set forth.

7. In a device for hairing violin-bows and like instruments, the combination of a holder for the bow member in which the hairs are first secured, a standard provided with a notched end in which the free ends of the hairs are arranged, and means for securing the hairs in the said notch while their ends are being united, substantially as set forth.

8. In a device for hairing bows for violins and like instruments, the combination of a base-piece, an adjustable holder near one end thereof, a clamp for holding the support in position, a standard carried by the other end of the base-piece provided with a recess 9 and a tapering notched end portion 14, a removable clamp seated in the recess in the standard and arranged to engage with the hairs in termediate their ends and hold them after they have been arranged, a slide arranged to engage with and hold the hairs at the end of the support, and means for adjusting the slide, substantially as set forth.

FRED A. HART.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. SIZLER. WILLIAM SILZER. 

